By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Mount Pleasant Rolls Past Fort Madison in 4A Opener:
For the first time in seven years, the Mount Pleasant volleyball team has defeated Fort Madison — and they did so in the postseason.
Mount Pleasant came out of the gates firing with 25-20, 25-20 and 25-22 wins sweeping the Bloodhounds, earning a trip to the semifinal round and snapping a sixteen match losing streak in the process.
Fort Madison got the better of Mount Pleasant twice in the regular season and Panther coach Dave Streeter was just happy it came together last night at the HoundDome.
“The girls have always had it in them, I told them after the second day of the conference tournament that it’s what I have been waiting to see all season.”
Now the Panthers will get a Burlington team they dispatched of at the SEC Tournament.
The Greyhounds received a first round bye after going 17-7 in the regular season, but Streeter believes it’ll be business as usual for a Panther team that is peaking at the right time.
“I can’t ask for better timing” Streeter said. “I would have liked to have seen it earlier, but to be able to put it together is awesome to watch.”
Thursday’s game at Burlington High School will have first serve at 7:00 p.m.
1A, 2A Second Round Games Tonight:
Several area volleyball programs are back on the hardwood this evening as Class 1 and 2A will play their second round tilts.
Starting with our featured matchup of the night, No. 8 (1A) Holy Trinity will play host to Highland after receiving a first round bye.
The Crusaders have won each of the last six matchups against the Huskies, with their last meeting taking place in 2014.
Holy Trinity has won three straight since falling in five sets to Central Lee back on October 13th.
First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.
Also in Class 1A-Region 8, Winfield-Mount Union will host a red-hot Burlington Notre Dame Nike team that picked up a sweep victory over Wapello on Monday night.
The Nikes have won the last three meetings between the schools and have won nine straight this season.
Meanwhile, the Wolves enter the second round 21-6 and winners of six of their last seven.
Senior outside hitter Jenna Buffington has been the star of the show, leading Winfield with 252 kills this year.
First serve from Winfield-Mount Union High School is 7:00 p.m.
On the bottom of the Region 8 bracket, WACO will entertain North Mahaska.
WACO, 24-7, leads the all-time series 4-2.
Senior Morgan Graber leads the Warriors with 3.7 kills per set, the senior has been dynamite for WACO this year.
WACO took down Sigourney 3-0 in round one, while North Mahaska swept Twin Cedars.
First serve at WACO High School is set for 7:00 p.m.
In Region 5, New London will begin their postseason surge when they welcome in Moravia.
New London was scheduled to play Monday but Moulton-Udell had to forfeit because of COVID-19 concerns.
The Tigers have won the only meeting in the last ten years between the schools — a 3-0 sweep back on October 23rd, 2017.
New London finished the regular season on a five game win streak.
You can listen to that game on KILJ-AM, Kadie Johannson will have the call beginning at 7:00 p.m.
And in Class 2A, Mediapolis will have a tough second round bout on the road at West Branch.
The Bullettes earned a first round win after Danville was forced to cancel because of COVID-19 issues.
First serve from West Branch is set for 7:00 p.m.
Mount Pleasant XC Heads to Monticello, Tonight:
Class 3A State Qualifying Cross Country will run tonight and the Panther boys and girls programs will be at Monticello High School.
There the schools competing will include:
- Davenport Assumption
- Central DeWitt
- Clear Creek-Amana
- Maquoketa
- Monticello
- Solon
- Dubuque Wahlert
- Washington
- WB/ND
- West Delaware
- Cedar Rapids Xavier
The girls’ will run first at 4:00 p.m. while the boys will follow at 4:30 p.m.
Class 1A and 2A will run tomorrow night.
Dodgers Take Game One:
And in national sports news, Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts homered as the Los Angeles Dodgers took Game One of the 2020 World Series over Tampa Bay, 8-3.
Clayton Kershaw worked six innings and allowed just one run to earn the win for the Dodgers.
First pitch for Game Two is set for 7:08 p.m. tonight.